CHAPTER -VI

ROLE OF INDIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT (INM),

MISSIONARIES, PRESS AND INDIAN RESPONSES TO PUBLIC

HEALTH POLICIES

CHAPTER –VI

ROLE OF INDIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT (INM), MISSIONARIES, PRESS AND INDIAN RESPONSES TO PUBLIC HEALTH POLICIES

In the previous chapter we have explained the aspects and expansion of

British Health Policy. Various historians have put their views regarding the

British health policies. They have looked into the effects of these policies on

Indian minds, their responses towards Western Health and Medicine System.

Mark Harrison has put the most liberal view by arguing that there was

suspicion, fear and hatred among the common poor towards the aim of

Government and therefore Imperial Government could not win the trust of the

indigenous population. He further argues that the community leaders played a

vital role towards satisfying the poor.1 He is very much true in his statement.

When we focus on 19th Century and early 20th century, a time at momentous

change in the history of medical science, technology and Indian society also,

we see the Indian elite class welcomes the technological and developmental

changes and contributes a lot by seeking employments in the Indian Civil

Services, legal services, and medical services.2 They come forward for the

1 Mark Harrison, ‘Public Health in British India: Anglo- Indian Preventive Medicine

1914, Cambridge; Cambridge University Press’ p.232. See also F.E. Udwadia (Editor) Man and Medicine: A History, Published in India, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2000, p.344.

2 In 1835 Indian Natives were selected in IMS, to serve as assistant civil surgeons. In the same year Calcutta Sanskrit College and Calcutta Madrasa started giving instructions in Ayurvedic and Unani systems, and professor Madhusudan Gupta provided the indigenous knowledge of the works of Charaka and Sushrauta along

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transformation of the society. Leaders like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Akshay

Kumar Dutta, Keshub Chandra Sen, Ishwar Chandra Vidhya Sagar propagated

and supported scientific developments and opposed social barriers as Sati and

child marriage and so 19th century India is regarded as a period of Renaissance.

(I)

Indian National Congress:-

As being the single largest political party, Indian National Congress

made a platform to bring out the problems of Indian people in front of the

imperial Government; it showed its concern for science and education. In the

9th resolution of INC, it was said:

‘We argue on government the desirability of encouraging

all branches of education, general as well as technical’. 3

It also showed its concern towards the growing poverty, and poor

industrial conditions in the Indian subcontinent. In the second resolution of

Indian National Congress, it was said:

‘That this Congress regards with the deepest sympathy

and views with grave apprehension, the increasing

poverty, desires to record its fixed conviction that the

with western medicine. Similarly Professor Sulfer Khan Ali taught Unani Tibb including the works of Unani physician Avicena at Calcutta Madrasa.

3 9th resolution presented in the report of four day proceedings of the fourth session of INC, (29th December 1888).

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introduction of representative institutions will prove one

of the most important practical steps towards the

amelioration of the conditions of people’. 4

In the 3rd resolution passed at the 5th session of Indian National

Congress (1889) at Bombay, it was said:

‘There is an extreme importance of the appointment of

the mixed commission to enquire into the present

industrial conditions of the country, that this Congress

regards with the deepest sympathy and views with grave

apprehension, the increasing poverty, desires to record

its fixed conviction that the introduction of representative

institutions will prove one of the most important practical

steps towards the amelioration of the conditions of

people’.5

Indian National Congress opposed the government whenever it

witnessed the inadequate progress in these fields even after beseeching at the

different sessions of Indian National Congress.

Though Congress was aware of the poor hygienic conditions of the

industrial workers but it was not until the First World War when it showed its

interest in the field of Health & Medicine. After seeing the miserable condition

4 Second Resolution passed at the Second session of Indian National Congress held

in Calcutta (27th – 29th Dec., 1886). 5 Third Resolution passed at the fifth session of Indian National Congress held at

Bombay (1889)

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that had been created by the First World War (1914) Indian National Congress

considered about the promotion of indigenous systems of medicine.6

And thus we see that M.K Gandhi7 ran a systematic programme of

village sanitation after 1914 and focused on personal cleanliness. Conversely

there were many orthodox people also who were divergent to science and

technology. They almost opposed every step of the Colonial Government.

There were influential individuals and reformists also who took up some

strategies to reform the society nevertheless it was not according to the

standard of the West, it was delicately according to the Indian culture.8

(II)

Efforts of Indian Elite for Women’s Emancipation:-

During the 19th Century (The age of renaissance) the educated

Indians came up to reform the public and private spheres of women life.

These reforms may be understood in the context of social reforms done by

British Government in India. The reformers supported the government

whole heartedly to improve the condition of women. They laid their

concern on issues like sati (widow burning), widow remarriage, and female 6 In the later year 1918, Congress took up the case of indigenous system of

medicine – Ayurveda and Unani and argued the government to give proper status to them.

7 Under the leadership of M.K.Gandhi, Congress gave prime importance to cottage industries which involved low level of technical skills. Health, hygiene and sanitation together with indigenous systems of medicine were promoted by M.K.Gandhi.

8 Muslim critiques as Nazir Ahmad and Maulana Hali strongly favored Purdah but were against the system that deprives the women from their basic liberties

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infanticide child marriage. It was the sustain of Indian elite that the

Government was able to pass Sati Abolition Act (1829 & 1856), Widow

remarriage Act (1856) Female Infanticide Act (1870), Bill for the prohibition

of child marriage (1891).

A number of works were produced in the last quarter of 19th Century

aiming to remove the tribulations of female society and to uplift their moral

standards. These works were produced in vernacular language (Urdu) and

(Hindi). These journals and newspapers not only aimed at social and moral

training of women but they contained articles and information regarding

female diseases and the measures of prevention. Traditional Unani and

Ayurvedic medicines were suggested to the women for their motherhood

period. Medical aid to women was extended by generous individuals along

with the government’s efforts.

In 1878 Sir Salar Jung of Hyderabad opened a Zenana Dispensary. In the

same year a separate clinic for Zenana treatment was opened in Afzal Jung

Hospital Hyderabad. The foundation of Cama Hospital in 1886 at Bombay by a

Parsi lady Bhikaji Cama is most noteworthy; as she was the first women and

children’s hospital in India to be staffed exclusively by medically trained

women. In 1909 efforts to improve Traditional Midwifery were made by

Hakim Ajmal Khan who founded a training Centre for Dais (midwives) at Delhi.

Christian missionaries were the pioneers in starting the first training classes

for Dais (midwives) in 1866 at Amritsar.

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The reformist Ulamas of Darul-Ulum-Deoband privileged the education

of Muslim women in the favor of patronizing purity of body, mind, and soul.

Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanevi wrote his celebrated work Bahishti Zewar9 for

women in which he described about two types of diseases among women-

general and female.10 He described the measures about the childcare and has

also prescribed preventive medicines for child as well as mothers also.

Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanewi said in the introduction of 9th Section of his book

Bahishti Zevar:-

‘Some methods should be adopted by women for the

maintenance of their health as well as their children the

women who do not know about all these cannot prove

themselves as good wives. Such problems can be resolved

easily by adopting the method of health care and

medicine as it was also appreciated by our Prophet

(PBUH)’.

Apart from suggesting medicine A.Thanevi suggested various Quranic

words and verses which could be used either through written amulets or

incantation. This sort of treatment according to A.Thanewi, could be very

effective in cases of stomachache, Cholera, plague, fever and small pox. The 9 It was a comprehensive handbook of fiqh especially for the education of girls &

women. It was first published in 1335 A.H., in 8 volumes. 10 Among females, diseases regarding menstruation, according to him accrued due

to some psychological stress and frustration among the young widows and unmarried girls at a general stage.

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Indian elite turned their attention to the issues related to women’s health.

Macho Khan, Publisher of Mufidul Madaris, a monthly journal launched in

1872 from Agra, emphasized modern and scientific methods for midwifery.11

As said earlier in 19th century India ,condition of women was very

feeble in the sense that they were not allowed to discuss their health

problems even with their husbands, and their treatments during the mother

hood period was done by midwives who were not medical trainers.

A number of books were written by the eminent doctors of the time on

midwifery in the vernacular language There were another books published in

the last decades of 19th century they are:

Table-6.1: Books on Midwifery:

1. Dhatrividya (1886), two volumes - Khirodaprasad Chattopadhyay

2. Dhatrividya (1887) - Alok Chandra Das Gupta

3. Dhatrividya (1888) - Rajendra Nath Mitra

4. Nari Chikitsa (1888) - Shekhar Kumar Basu

5. Dhatri Sanchar (1893) - R.G. Kar & S.C. Basu

11 There were other journals also as Tehzib-e-Niswan founded by Syed Mumtaz Ali

(1898) and monthly/weekly Chashma-e-Khirad by Abdul Rahim Khan (1876) that played a vital role to aware the women section of the society.

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Figure-6.1: WOMEN’S JOURNALS AND NEWS PAPERS IN

VERNACULAR LANGUAGE

141

Many other quarterly journals and magazines were published at various

places.Shibchandra Sen published mother and child care manual-ShishuPalan

in1875 at Bengal. A journal Calcutta journal of medicine was published in

1868-69, regarding midwifery, childcare and mothers care. Similarly Dr.

Jadunath Mukhopadhyaya wrote Dhatrishiksha and Prasutishiksha in1891.It

was a progressive effort of the elite Indians to create awareness among them.

Christian missionaries took the first step in this regard to start training

classes for dais from 186612 Medical aid for women was also given by

generous individuals in 1878. Sir Salam Jung of Hyderabad opened a Zenana

dispensary also. Local Hindus and Muslims of high respect donated for the

establishment of charitable hospitals and dispensaries for the care of poor

people. The Ulamas of Darul- Ulum also patronized Unani Tibb which was

considered to be superior or equivalent to western medicine system. There

established three types of hospitals in India. 13

(i) Funded by provincial revenues

(ii) Financed by municipal & Local boards

(iii) By private subscribers among the private subscribers

12 Nursing services in Bombay also were provided by All saints sisters (missionaries)

from 1884-1902. Dr. Annette who served at Cama Hospital from 1894-1918 recommended the training of nurses.

13 Mridula Ramanna ‘Gauging Indian Responses to Western Medicine, Hospitals and Dispensaries’, Bombay Presidency, 1900-20. In Deepak Kumar, Disease and Medicine, in India, op.cit., p.236.

142

We also observe the direct state involvement whenever the diseases

became epidemic and covered the large area including the Native, Industrial,

Military and European settlements. Free distribution of some medicines as

malaria quinine,14 black pills15 and potassium permanganate16attracted the

people to come to the dispensaries and its effectiveness led the Indian people

realize the importance of its treatment.

(III)

Works of Missionaries: Canadian Baptists and Anglican missionaries in Southern Regions:-

The missionaries believed that the prevalence of superstitions and

ruthless belief among the indigenous communities led to heavy loss of lives.

As a result, India was perceived by the missionaries as a strange land of

irrational beliefs. However, by the last years of the nineteenth century,

western medical missionaries in India realized the implications of health care

systems along with the multifarious process of Christianization. In this context,

as late as the 1920s, a European medical missionary observed:

14 It was prepared from Alkaloid found especially in Cincona bark and used as

Febrifuge tonic and anti periodic. However, it was not fully effective it could have unpleasant side effects; also it was not every time available still it was a reliable remedy for malarial fever. From - NAI, GOI, ‘Report of the Director of Government, Cincona Plantations, Madras’, in Home Department Proceedings, Medical Branch, Nos. 38-39, Oct. 1887,

15 It proved to be slight effective medicine for plague and was distributed by the Government during the outbreak of plague in 1896 in Bombay.

16 Potassium per magnate was used to protect water supply from bacterias.

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‘For the continued preservation of Christianity to Hindus

and Muslims, there is no more potent agency than the

work of Medical Mission. The successful evangelization of

a block of 320,000,000 may be regarded as the dream of

an enthusiast. But the idea of let us say 320 medical

missionaries, each ministering and witnessing to

1,000,000, no longer seems wildly impracticable’.17

By the end of the 19th Century, In Telgu region the involvement of the

medical missionaries with the treatment of diseases like tuberculosis and

leprosy became very prominent; the Canadian medical missionaries

constructed a big tubercular sanatorium at Rajahmundry to improve the

health standards of the rural laboring classes, who were particularly from

depressed-class background. The medical missionaries also renovated the

Ramachandrapuram and Vizianagaram leper homes to protect the diseased

from all forms of social discrimination.18

Nursing services in Bombay city were being provided by the Anglican

missionaries, since 1884. It was pointed out that modern methods of

treatment required constant skilled attention of doctors and trained nurses to

assist them in the hospitals. At the same time, the indifference of Indians in

contributing to the G.T. Hospital Nursing Association was also noted.

17 Basu R.S,’Medical Missionaries At Work: Canadian Baptist Missionaries in Telegu

Country, 1870-1952’, in Kumar Deepak, (edited) Disease and Medicine in India: A Historical Overview, op.cit., p.181.

18 Ibid., p.189

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The statistics of attendance at hospitals and dispensaries had shown a

little change in Indian attitudes towards medical institutions. In his paper

presented at the Bombay Medical congress in 1909, Turner attributed the

repugnance to hospitals to the plague epidemic, and the unpopular measures

of segregation and isolation.19

Cholera and smallpox were not unknown to the Indians, but the great

mortality of plague was an unknown experience, and they ascribed this to

doctors and hospitals and not to the disease. This led to protests against the

infectious Diseases and hospitals in Bombay in 1897 and 1899. Turner

regretted that though thousands of patients left the hospitals cured, they did

not advise their caste men to resort to them. He believed that sanitary

knowledge should be provided to the inhibitions. Yet Indian financial support

of these institutions continued.

On occasion, the paucity of funds postponed the establishment of

dispensaries till Indian donors came forward, as in Khed district. Endowing

public welfare was in keeping with the Indian tradition. Thus the Ranchodlal

home medical relief institution was set up at Ahmedabad to provide relief to

those who were unable to attend hospitals and dispensaries. Thus the

19 Turner, J.A., ‘Sanitation in India’ in Transactions of the Bombay Medical Congress

1909, Bombay Printed and published by Benett Coleman, The Times Press, pp.462-63.

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Ranchodlal home medical relief institution was set up at Ahmedabad to

provide relief to those who were unable to attend hospitals and dispensaries.

Indigenous responses: Positive and Negative:-

The indigenous section showed no particular response towards

government’s initiative. Since there had been no effective remedy for some of

the deadly diseases in the previous Indian system, the western medicine was

adopted by the Indians as in the case of Kala-azar, Surgery and Malaria. We

also see the poor people used to gather around the Missionaries in the hope

of getting free medicines for their ailments. We also see that the diseases,

which were treated by local practitioners in earlier decads of 19th Century,

were also being treated in the hospitals of the government. Slowly and

gradually many government hospitals were being opened:

1. Calcutta Medical College – 1835 2. Bombay Medical College – 1845 3. Calcutta University – 1857 4. Madras Medical College – 1875 5. Indian Medical Research Fund Association – 1911

Many researches were conducted in these hospitals. We have

evidences which suggest that people slowly and gradually were turning

towards the western medicine. The following diseases were consulted by the

doctors of the hospitals established by countess of Dufferin fund.20

20 A letter from H. Fraser, the Chairman to the Honorary Secretary of the countess

of Dufferin’s Fund, Provincial Branch North Western Provinces & Oudh Branch Allahabad, 1st Dec., 1893 in Seventh Annual Report of the North Western

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Table 6.2: Treatment of certain diseases at hospitals

Diseases Total number of the patients both in-door and out-door

Dysentry 184

Malarial fever 1,645

Scurvy 04

Worms 16

Debility 21

Tubercular diseases -

Leprosy 04

Dysepsia 218

Goritre 55

Spleen disorder 52

Ulcers 439

poisons 09

Similarly in Bombay Presidency many cases were being treated apart

from surgery. By the beginning of 20th Century people’s concentration

Provinces and Oudh Branch of the ‘National Association of Supplying Female Medical Aid to the Women of India’, The countess of Duffrin Fund,, op.cit., p.97.

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towards these hospitals increased. The largest number of patients was treated

for malarial fevers, while the smallest number was treated for smallpox.

Quinine was sold at cheap rates in malarial districts, particularly in Sind. A

large number of dysentery and diarrhea cases were either among pilgrims or

the destitute.

Table 6.3: Statistics of Out-patients at Hospitals and Dispensaries, Bombay Presidency21

Diseases Mean for the years 1911-13

Smallpox 440

Malarial fevers 383,919

Tuberculosis 5,246

Cholera 1,829

Dysentry 39,742

Diarrhoea 51,184

Lyprosy 679

21 ‘Report of Civil Hospitals and Dispensaries, Bombay Presidency’, Cited in, Kumar

Deepak, (edited) Diseases and Medicine in India: A Historical Overview’ pub. Tulika Books, 2001, New Delhi.p.237.

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Though the indigenous section of society showed no clear response

towards the western health measures, but it is also evident that they did not stop

to go to those medical trainers who could provide them the cheapest medicine or

could suggest them the cheapest measures. That’s why the poor unaware class

always tried to seek shelter and protection in the worship of deities and in

performing rituals as suggested by Ojhas and Tantriks.

Let’s now consider the reasons why indigenous section was showing its

indifference towards some health care measures done by the government. Some

native people did not adopt vaccination because it could not match with their old

practice (inoculation). 22 Its secular nature was not accepted by some orthodox

people. Hindu community was not ready to have vaccination as it was prepared

with calf Lymph. The Brahmins thought it impurity if the lymph was taken from

the child of untouchables23 and the Muslims believed that the English were

searching for Mehdi (the Savior)24 in the veil of vaccination.25

There was also a problem of quick infection after vaccination on the

children. People fled away from the areas where vaccination was to be done, and

22 There was a problem of quick infection also just after the infection and the

researches suggested that diseases like syphilis and lyprosy were often transmitted through vaccination. From, Report on Vaccination, Bombay Presidency and Sind: 1873-74 XXIV, O.P.R. cited in Harrison Mark and Sanjoy Bhattacharya (edited), Fractured States: Small Pox, Public Health and Vaccination Policy in British India, 1800-1947, op.cit., p.58-59.

23 Satya Laxaman, Medicine, Disease and Ecology in Colonial India, p.248 24 According to Muslim belief (Mehdi) will be the person who will drove away the

evil from the world. 25 David Arnold, ‘Smallpox and Colonial Medicine in 19th Century India’, in Arnold

David edited, Imperial medicine and indigenous societies, op.cit. pp.45-65.

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the British government made it compulsory for every one to be vaccinated.26 And

this step was welcomed by Indian elites.

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan the Indian member of Legislative Council also

favored the step.27 Sir Syed Ahmad Khan showed his courage and pointed out the

government’s negligence and indifference while imposing compulsory

vaccination and establishing Relief Camps. He suggested the government to

consider and understand the communities’ sentiments and to take lenient steps

to start such programs. Thus he delivered a speech in the legislative council and

convinced the government that Indian Community evils readily accept any step

taken by the government only if their sentiments are respected. This is an extract

of the introductory speech which he delivered on 30th September 1879 in the

Viceroy’s Legislative Council while introducing the vaccination Bill:28

‘My Lord there was a time when the people of this country

had prejudices, to which superstition and ignorance had

given birth, against the practice of vaccination. But the time

has now arrived when such nations no longer find the minds

of the gentry of India; Compulsory vaccination is thus a

26 Compulsory vaccination Acts in the various provinces were all first introduced in

selected urban centres. 27 Indian Press welcomed the steps taken by the government towards public health.

But they also apprised the interference of European in the affairs of local government by saying – ‘Any step to force sanitary measures an unwilling people must lead to failure’

28 Vaccination Bill introduced by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan in Viceroy’s Legislative Council, cited in Mohammad Shan, Writings and speeches of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Nachiketa Publication Limited, Bombay, 1972, pp.139-142.

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measure for the protection of the lives of innocent children

from the results of the folly of their parents…..

My Lord, so far as my experience extends, I have no

hesitation in saying that compulsory vaccination would meet

the approval of the gentry of India. Indeed one of my Hindu

friends – a gentleman of good birth and good influence at

Benaras, the source of Hindu law and religion – asked me to

induce the government for making vaccination compulsory. I

have also received communication from respectable

Mohammadan gentle men of Punjab to impose compulsory

vaccination in Punjab region also…. Sir a law having for its

object the security of the future generations of India from a

calamity so universal and severe would, if properly put into

operation, for from being unpopular, be welcomed by the

people of this country.

Vaccination was favored by the Bengali News paper Hindu Patriot.29 The

doctors and surgeons of Indian origin in IMS also played a vital role in

propagating the vaccination programme. Some times the local members as

Hakims and Vaidyas were also appointed in vaccination camps to bring the

people and to convince them.30

29 Hindu Patriot, (News paper), ‘6 May 1878. 30 Mark Harrison, ‘Social History

151

E.A. Balfaur, Indian Medical Department has stated that these Vaids and

Hakeems also practiced as physicians in Madras Presidency and their number

was for greater than educated government servants. He noted that out of 8,000

practitioners in the territories under the government of Madras were 7,550 Vaids

and Hakeems and only 450 were educated doctors.31

The subordinate staffs who were generally, head constables, Chaukidards,

native vaccinators and even coolies were often employed by the government at

the time of fairs, epidemics, and at pilgrimage sites to communicate with the

people and to detect the sickness among the people. They also played a vital role

in informing the government about indigenous sentiments.32

However, the secular nature of the Government in establishing relief

camps & poor houses was also unacceptable because it interfered into the

religious and cultural practices of the community. Regarding the causes of the

unpopularity of the poor houses established by the government in the North

Western Provinces and Oudh, during the Famine of 1878, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan

said that the character of the management of the poor houses was not justified

as it did not respect the religions sentiments of the countrymen where as, the

poor house, managed by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan at Moradabad, during the time

when John Strachey was the Magistrate and Collector of Moradabad, gained

popularity, as it had following characteristics.33

31 NAI, Government of India, Home Department Proceedings, Medical Branch, NOS,

41-87, August, 1877. 32 Ibid. pp.45-70. 33 Report of the Indian Famine Commission, 1880-1885, pp.250-255.

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1. Poor house was divided into different enclosures and separate areas were

assigned to different classes and castes.

2. A committee was formed which consisted of respectable Hindu and

Mohammadan members who would select persons fit for working.

3. Separate Chaukas were provided for each class.

4. Various kinds of works were performed as spinning, trusting of ropes,

weaving to support the poor etc.

As Plague had been an endemic disease in the Himalyan foot hills and the

regions of Kumayun and Garhwal, it occurred for many times in these regions.

The British government did not take serious steps until the International Sanitary

Conference held at Venice, blamed British government for existing cholera

tensions in India and then the plague.34 This international pressure and threats to

its overseas trade compelled GOI to take quick preventive measures to combat

plagues which were not acceptable for the indigenous section.

The municipal commissioner under the municipal board of 1888

authorized the municipal health officers to segregate the infected buildings.

Further Epidemic Disease Act was passed in 1897, and it authorized the officials

to inspect any ship, or passenger, to search to disinfect, to demolish any dwelling

or to stop any pilgrimage or religious fair.

The treatment of the officials with the indigenous section was really

painful. The passengers complained about the treatment of white doctors while

inspecting the sensitive body organs of male and female was intolerable. Even 34 The French attacked the British as ‘rulers of home of cholera and now one of the

epicenters of plague’.

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the people preferred to die, rather than to be inspected or treated by the

doctors.35

The news of sexual harassment by the colonial officials became common

and the rumour was spread that the government made a deliberately crude

attempt to punish the people who had been involved in anti-colonial activities.36

These hasty steps taken by the government spread the wild rumors that

the sahibs had taken the poison from cobra and put it into the Bombay Water

Supply to spread plague.37As a result there occurred there occurred a number of

Anti plague riots.38

When GOI saw its failure, it started appointing the Vaids and Hakeems for

the treatment in camps and hospitals. Though some changes were done by

British Government and the values of India society were taken into consideration,

but even thereafter British Government could not win the trust of the indigenous

society. People did not show their positive response towards the village

sanitation programme because it levied more tax (sanitary tax) upon them. Due

to the unawareness also positive response was not seen from poor people

sanitary Commissioner of Assam reported:-

35 National Archives of India, Home, Medical, 2 February 1896, No.40. 36 Majumdar, R.C. History of the Freedom Movement in India, Vol.-I, Calcutta, 1971

pp.390-403. 37 Anil Kumar, ‘Medicine And The Raj:British Medical Policy in India 1835-1911,’

p.198. 38 Anti Plague riot occurred in Kanpur in 1900, Poona in & the people burnt the

segregation camps armed with lathis. R.C. Majumdar , p.400.

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‘Much attention has given to rural sanitation but the Chief

Commissioner points out that title can be done until the

people have been educated to appreciate its benefits’.39

We have several other incidents which may tell us the indifferent attitude

response and resistance of the poor people. It was a particular poor and down

trodden section of the society who had a fear of imposing new tax among their

minds and therefore they used to flee here and there to escape from the

Government. However we do not notice any strong resistance or rebellion

against the Government. Regarding enumeration also there was fear amongst

the people but no special obstacles were encountered by the people as observed

by the district officials, when they were asked about it.40

The statistics collected by the hospitals and dispensaries show the

increase in the number of patients who used to come for cure especially for

surgery. The largest numbers of surgeries were for the removal of stone and

extraction of the lens for cataract. Other surgeries included abdominal

operations, operations for hernia, abuses of the liver etc.41

39 Report of the Sanitary Commissioner with the government of India (Assam) 1894,

p.259, 40 Census of India. N.W.P. 1872, Vol.-I, General, Report, Statements and tables-

Allahabad – 1873. Appendix-C, p.112. 41 Report of the Civil Hospitals and Dispensaries, Bombay Presidency, Bombay, 1909,

p.3.

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(IV)

Role of Press:-

However there is another interesting aspect which can not be ignored

while talking about the responses, that is the role of press. The news papers,

magazines, journals did their work quite honestly in order to let the people

aware for their health problems. We find many opinions expressed through

press which were sometimes in favor and sometimes against the Western

Medical measures. Vernacular press also published some books in medicine

M. Kempson, Director of Public Instructions N.W.P. informed that the total

No. of registered publications in North Western Provinces during 1871 were

317 out of which 12 books (6 Urdu, 2 Hindi and 4 Persian) were published in

Medicine.42 We also find its dominant role in advertising the Indian traditional

products, healthy food etc. Many English newspapers and Medical journals

advertised for suppliers of western medicine and surgical instruments.

The news paper Abhyudya43 advertised a number of indigenous

medical products in its columns. The medical product Pran Sanjeevani was

42 M. Kempson, Director of Public Instruction N.W.P. to C.A. Elliotty Secretary to the

Government N.W.P. (No.3089) Date 20th Feb., 1872 in Selections From the Records of Government N.W.P. Vol.-VI, Allahabad Government Press, N.W.P., 1874, p.254.

43 It was the first Hindi weekly established by Madan Mohan Malviya in 1907.

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advertised by using words like Ramban and Sulaimani.44 It also published the

book Hanuman Chalisa 45 for the advertisement of Pustraj Vatika. Arogyata Ki

Devi was printed for the advertisement of Amrit Dhara.46 The Medicine Piyush

Ratnakar, the remedy for 80 types of diseases was advertised by the news

paper Abhyudya.47 Often these newspapers /magazines published the articles

and opinion of various leaders in their columns. As compulsory vaccination

favored by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was in the news lines in the Madras Times.48

To conclude, we can say that there was a consistent awareness among the

people. One cannot say that there was an absolute indifference towards

health care among the people.

44 ‘Abhyudya’ 18 February, 1912, p.8. 45 ‘ Abhyudya’, 18 Feb., 1912, p.7. 46 Abhyudya, 22 Feb., 1912. 47 Abhyudya; 18 Feb., 1912, p.8. 48 Madras Times, 3 July 1880, pp.2-3.